Friday, 14 February 2014

Where it started...My Vintage Sugar Shaker

I wanted to tell where my love of vintage started and this involves showing you my vintage sugar shakers; this is not a euphemism, dear reader, so panic-ye-not.

Here is the little beauty that won my heart many many years ago. This sugar shaker belonged to my Gran originally and after her death, my mum kept it in a cabinet along with other bits and pieces.

Way back in the 70's, when I was a teenager, I staked my claim on it ; I told my mum that I really liked the little sugar shaker with the pretty flowers and that one day I should like to have it. Over the years, I admired it and gradually my younger sisters began to appreciate this pretty little gal and expressed their desire to own it too. Much later, when she was very ill, my mum would joke with us three sisters that she would smash it on her death bed to stop us fighting over it when she was gone.

When she did die way too young at 56, the little sugar shaker became mine and she is one of the most precious things in my life. Really, she is not special or rare or precious to anyone other than to my sisters and I; she is quite humble and demure in her countenance, much like my old Gran was. My enduring memories of my Gran are of head scarves tied under her chin, her powdery soft cheeks, bright lipstick on her thin lips, gifts of fruit cake and bunches of sweet peas wrapped in newspaper and not forgetting the birthday presents of multi packs of 'American Tan' tights.

Over the last couple of years, I have found a few other vintage sugar shakers in my charity shop travels and added them to the original to keep her company. Any of these sugar shakers would be perfectly at home on an old pine table covered with a lacy table cloth and heavy laden with a scrummy afternoon tea; a large bowl of strawberries, some clotted cream, a pot of earl grey and some freshly made scones. If only Jane Marple would pop around for tea and gossip. Sigh.

My current husband gave me these lovelies for Christmas; I spotted them at the last Kitsch and Stitch fair and their cheery 1970's flowers called to me across a crowded room. I confess that I have been eyeing up some adorable sugar shakers on Etsy but I prefer the caprice that is charity shop hunting and will bide my time until I discover another little darling sitting quietly on a shelf.

So lovely. One of the earliest "old world" things I have is a little notebook. I was about 4, and we were on family holidays, and I got to pick out something in the gift shop. I picked a little notebook with a late Victorian illustration of two girls with their cats. My love of all things old goes back a very long way and has never stopped

Thanks for leaving your lovely comment on my blog and you really must make a quilt and this is a good one to start with (maybe on a smaller scale!) as it has very few pieces to piece. Email me if want any tips at all ;-)

Good Morning Aunt Lola, Well you took me back quite a few years with the colour "American Tan" didn't we all wear that colour of tights at one point or another. It is lovely that you own your mother's vintage sugar shaker as I can feel the love of vintage pouring from the page.I don't believe an item has to be worth a lot of money to be loved. I have an old set of pearls which belonged to Ivy, my Grandmother, they aren't worth anything in monetary value, but they are worth so much to me.I have enjoyed my visit so I have become a new follower.Best WishesDaphne

How lovely - especially as a tribute to your gran! I love sugar shakers, I covet mine, which I picked up in a five and dime type store in Miami years back. Thanks so much for linking up to #AllAboutYou